Research Help

Send an email to friends@swarthmore.edu, including as much specific information as you can. If you don't have access to email, you may call us at 610-328-8496. Unfortunately, we have a very small staff and we don't have the capacity to do research on the part of off-site patrons. If we can readily find an answer to your question, we will tell you. Otherwise, we can refer you to an independent researcher/genealogist who is experienced using Quaker sources to help with more in-depth questions.

Self-Serve Copying

We recommend that researchers coming to FHL bring a digital camera (for copying from books or manuscripts) and a thumb drive (for copying from microfilm). For a daily facilities fee of $5.00, you can make unlimited digital copies (for personal use only).

If you prefer paper copies, there is a photocopier available for FHL patron usage at a fee of $0.15-$0.25 per page, depending on size. Patrons must show FHL Staff all materials prior to photocopying, as some items are too fragile to be placed on the machine.

Paper copies can be taken from the microfilm reader for a fee of $0.50 per page.

Swarthmore College staff and students only may use scanning equipment in Friends Historical Library, provided they make a prior appointment and are familiar with the equipment so as to need minimal staff assistance.

Certain restricted or fragile material may not be copied. Always check with the archivist on duty before copying. Also note that some materials may be governed by copyright restrictions. Researchers using the Library assume legal responsibility for observing these regulations and agree to indemnify the Library for any liability incurred through their use of the Library's holdings.

Photocopying / PDF Scans

Our small staff doesn't have the capacity to fulfill large photocopying orders, although we will do our best to oblige if you need fewer than 25 pages. Send an email to friends@swarthmore.edu first describing exactly what you're interested in. We'll count the pages and tell you how to proceed depending on the length. If it's under 25 pages we can copy it for you at a rate of $5 for up to 5 pages and $0.50 per subsequent page. If it's over 25 pages, or if it is a complicated question requiring careful review of sources to determine what materials to copy, we will direct you to an independentresearcher who can help you instead.

Reproduction Policy

Copyrighted material may only be reproduced in accordance with regulations as specified by copyright law. Researchers using the Library assume legal responsibility for observing these regulations and agree to indemnify the Library for any liability incurred through their use of the Library's holdings. As owner of the physical manuscript, Friends Historical Library may assert certain proprietary rights in regard to the physical manuscript, for example permitting or denying access to the property. This assertion of ownership rights, however, is distinct and separate from any copyright consideration affecting the manuscript. Researchers using the Library assume legal responsibility for observing copyright regulations and agree to indemnify the Library for any liability incurred through their use of the Library's holdings.

As owners of the physical materials in our collections, the Friends Historical Library's policy is to provide high-resolution scans of our materials only after researchers agree to comply with our Permission and Use Agreement. We charge a standard reproduction fee of $25 per image. See our policies for Reproduction for Personal Use and Reproduction for Publication below. If you are not sure whether your use constitutes "publication," please write to friends@swarthmore.edu describing the use and we will advise you how to proceed.

Reproduction for Personal Use

Copyrighted material may only be reproduced in accordance with regulations as specified by copyright law. Researchers using the Library assume legal responsibility for observing these regulations and agree to indemnify the Library for any liability incurred through their use of the Library's holdings. Reproductions cannot be used by researchers for publication in any format without due regard for copyright and other legal restrictions. Permission to copy does not constitute permission to publish. Publication privileges may be secured only upon the joint authorization of the Curator of Friends Historical Library and the holder of the literary property rights.

FHL staff can make you a digital copy (400 dpi TIFF) for a $25 per item reproduction fee. If you have questions, please email friends@swarthmore.edu. The next step is to fill out our Reproduction Order Form: Personal Use [pdf] and mail it us with a check made out to "Friends Historical Library." When we receive your check and the signed form, we'll email you a link to retrieve the digital scan(s). Our mailing address is:
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
500 College Ave.
Swarthmore, PA 19081

Reproduction for Publication

As owner of the physical manuscript, Friends Historical Library may assert certain proprietary rights in regard to the physical manuscript, for example permitting or denying access to the property. This assertion of ownership rights, however, is distinct and separate from any copyright consideration affecting the manuscript. Researchers using the Library assume legal responsibility for observing copyright regulations and agree to indemnify the Library for any liability incurred through their use of the Library's holdings.

To publish an image from FHL collections, researchers must first secure in writing the permission of the Curator of the Friends Historical Library. You must always complete our Reproduction Order Form: Publication or Commercial Use [PDF]. This helps us track usage of our materials and helps us locate the item if a future researcher inquires about it. We also ask that you include call number and/or identifier number in your publication, and that you send us a courtesy copy of your publication when it is published. If staff time is required to complete your order, you will be charged a fee of $25 per image.

If the image you would like to use is not already available online at the resolution you require, you will be charged a reproduction fee of $25 per image. Please write to friends@swarthmore.edu first to inquire about the image you are interested in, so we can ensure it is available and not too fragile for scanning. Next we will ask you to complete the Reproduction Order Form: Publication or Commercial Use [PDF] and mail it to us with a check made out to "Friends Historical Library." When we receive your check and the signed form, we'll email you a link to retrieve the digital scan(s). Our mailing address is:
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
500 College Ave.
Swarthmore, PA 19081

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